“It’s a total nightmare,” she continued. “I still feel like I’m gonna wake up and this will not have happened.”

The night Malachi was hit, a close family friend said Malachi, his mom, and his brother got out of their car and looked both ways before crossing the street. But in a split second, an SUV was in the road, and Malachi was hit.

“He does a little bit better every single day,” Watson said.

Malachi suffered serious fractures to his skull, pelvis, and ribs. He’s had a successful surgery on his pelvis and no brain damage. He is also talking a little.

But he still has a long road ahead of him.

“We’ve got a long road, but he’s here and he’s alive,” his mom said.

Watson chooses to focus on his recovery.

“He is alive,” she said. “I am not planning a funeral. I am not. He is alive. That is all I need to get through this.”

But in doing so, Watson calls herself lucky.

“I could have been one of those parents that lost their baby,” she said. “I could have been that parent, and I’m not.”

Watson feels it could happen to anyone; therefore, she’s asking people to change the way they drive, including putting their phones away and watching their speed.

“Slow down,” she asserted. “Is it worth it? Is it worth it?”

In the meantime, Watson looks forward to the day when Malachi is running around, smiling, and laughing again.

“It will come,” she said. “I don’t know when. I don’t know how long it’s going to take us to get there, but it’s coming.”

Schenectady police said the driver has been cooperating, and drugs, speed and alcohol did not play any factors. They continue to investigate.

No word on whether charges will be filed. Malachi’s mom said she is not angry at the driver.

His school, Orenda Elementary School in Clifton Park, will be holding two fundraisers in the near future to help with medical expenses.